“SFC then submitted the report to Sarawak Forest Department as illegal logging by outsiders in a concession area is under the jurisdiction of the department,” the source revealed.

However, the Forest Department decided that there was no case against the companies felling the trees in the area.

The logs were released to the village security and development committee (JKKK) of the area through the village chief while the vehicles comprising two tractors, 10 excavators, a shovel and a dump truck were returned to the companies which felled the logs.

Logs and machinery seized related to illegal logging are usually put on tender for disposal.

In this case, industry players were asking on what basis were the logs returned to the JKK and machinery being returned to the companies which felled the logs.

The authorities concerned had been urged to probe the committee’s conclusion that there was no case against the companies which felled the trees in the area despite the comprehensive report on their activities in the concession area.

Players also demanded that members of the committee making the decision be made known to the public, especially to industry players and also reveal the decisions made in other cases of illegal logging highlighted in the media frequently.

Meanwhile, following an outcry from industry players questioning transparency over the handling of seized illegal logs and machinery highlighted in The Borneo Post on Oct 27, a spokesman from Forest Department told The Borneo Post that it would soon issue a statement on the seizure of the logs and vehicles.

The spokesman also said they would reply to why there was no case against the Dato who owned the machinery. - BP